BY ASHZEL HACHERO and GERARD NAVAL
TWO Filipinos were killed and several others were injured in a gas explosion at a restaurant in Abu Dhabi Monday.
The Department of Foreign Affairs, in a statement issued late Tuesday night, said authorities reported the explosion occurred at a restaurant on Sheik Rashid bin Saeed Road, also known as Airport Road, in Abu Dhabi.
Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said the families of Clark Bacud Gasis, 39, and Merriner Goc-ong Bertoces, 26, are to receive P120,000 each in bereavement assistance from the government.
The Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) in Abu Dhabi said Gasis was an electrical draftsman from Surigao del Sur while Bertoces, from Negros Occidental, was an employee of the Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant.
UAE police and local media on Monday reported three persons died in two separate explosions in the United Arab Emirates capital Abu Dhabi and its tourism hub Dubai.
The Abu Dhabi government media office said two people were killed in the blast in the capital, which the National daily reported had hit the Kentucky Fried Chicken and Hardees restaurants on the city’s Rashid bin Saeed street. The media office said the blast was caused by a “misalignment in the gas container fittings following refueling.”
The POLO eight other Filipinos were injured, including two children. Six of the adults were brought to the Sheik Khalifa Medical Center for treatment. Five have been discharged while Rodel Paclibar remained confined further observation.
The two children out of danger, POLO said.
The DFA said Ambassador Hjayceelyn Quintana has reached out to the families of the deceased.
The DFA also said the embassy has advised the Filipino community in Abu Dhabi “to remain safe and be mindful of safety and security protocols of the host government.”
There are about 648,000 Filipinos living and working in the United Arab Emirates.
